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' G. L. SLATER.

TABLE LEAP SUPPORT. No. 35?;506. Patented Feb.. 8, 1887t V Nirnn Sr-Arns [PATENT rrrcn.

GEORGE L. SLATER, OF BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN E. BARNES, OF SAME PLACE.

TABLEELEAF SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,506, dated February e, 1887.

A pplieation filed 'February 0, 1886. Serial No. 191,384. (Model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. SLATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buchanan, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Table-Leaf Supports; and l-do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference being had to the annexed drawings,

vbrace-rod connected 4at one end to the under Y side of the table-leaf and at its opposite end to a device secured to the rail or frame of the table, which will enable the leaf to be either let down or supported in au extended position.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the above-mentioned class of devices,whereby greater certainty in its action is obtained, more readily and conveniently operated, and possessing increased strength as a support to the leaf. These objects I attain by the construction substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the table, and B one of the leaves hinged thereto, said table being of any of the usual forms and supported on the ordinary frame or rails a, to which are secured the legs b. My invention being equally applicable to all classes of tables having folding leaves, I have shown in the drawings only one form in order to fully illustrate the application of the invention.

To the under side of the table-leaf B is attached, by a universal joint, one end of a bracee rod, C, which may be either round, square,

or other form, as found desirable. The most simple and effective universal joint for the 5o purpose is the ball-and-socket joint, which I have shown at c, although any universal joint may be used that will admit ofthe brace-rod turning on its axis, and also on the arc of a circle,when the table-leaf is raised or lowered.

The brace-rod C is provided, at or near its upper end,with a thumb-piece, d, for turning it, and at its opposite end itis provided with a head, e, and shoulders f, so that when in the position shown in Fig. l the shoulders vwill hold the rod extended to support the tableleaf. Secured to the frame or rail c is a latch or holding device, D, preferably consisting of two spring-arms, g, with shoulders h attheir ends.

Vhen the table-leaf is extended, asshown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to let said leaf down, the brace-rod C is turned by means of the thumb-piece d until at right angles to its former position, the spring-arms g spreading 7o for this purpose. After turning the rod as above described, as soon as the cams e' strike the spring-arms g, the rod turns partly over, allowing the cams to pass between the arms without spreading them. In raising the leaf 7 5 B the cams themselves striking against the inner sides of the spring-arms will automatically turn the rod to allow the end of the same to be again heldV by the latch D,

I do not desire to be understood as confin- 8o ing myself to the specified construction of the latch or holding device, as it may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A table-leaf support having projections at one end to engage a slotted device, as D, secured to the table-frame and having a uni- 9o versal-joint connection with the lea'f,whereby the engagement between the support and table may be broken at will by turningthe support upon its axis, as set forth.

2. A table-leaf supportconsisting of a latch In testimony that I claim the above I have or spring holding device, D, secured to the hereunto subscribed my name in the presence frame or rail of the table, and a brace-rod of two Witnesses. e

connected at one end to the table-leaf by a GEORGE L SLATER. 5 universal joint, and at its opposite end pro- XVitnesses:

vided with cam-shoulders and a head, substan- A. AJVORTHINGTON,

tially as and for the purpose specified. J. J, VAN REIPER. 

